# Combination therapy of TKIs and ICIs for the treatment of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma

## TL;DR

This study shows that combining two types of drugs can effectively treat a rare and aggressive thyroid cancer, improving patient outcomes and quality of life.

## Contribution

The study presents a novel combination therapy using TKIs and ICIs for treating anaplastic thyroid carcinoma.

## Key findings

- Three patients showed significant shrinkage of primary lesions without thyroidectomy.
- Five patients experienced significant regression of lung metastases.
- All patients had notable reduction in cervical lymph node metastases.

## Abstract

To explore the efficacy of combination therapy of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKIs) and immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICIs) in patients with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC).

This study enrolled 7 patients with ATC between June 2020 and June 2024, and conducted follow-up for a minimum of 6 months post-treatment, with the longest follow-up duration reaching 4 years. Patients received treatment with the TKI-Anlotinib and the ICI-Sintilimab, administered every 3 weeks in a treatment cycle.

Following treatment, among the 7 patients, the primary lesion in 3 patients who had not undergone thyroidectomy exhibited significant shrinkage, the lung metastases in 5 patients with pulmonary involvement significantly regressed, and the lateral cervical lymph node metastases in all patients demonstrated notable reduction.

Combination therapy of TKIs and ICIs for the treatment of ATC patients can be highly effective and bringing better therapeutic outcomes and quality of life for patients.